How to tan a deer hide - taxidermy at home

In this quick tutorial, Jess shows you how to tan a deer hide at home using a simple DIY kit from Leder. To see the full tutorial go to www.iamhunter....
Leder tanning kit (500ml) - bit.ly/home_ki...
Leder tanning kit (commercial kit) - bit.ly/commerc...
Bi-carb soda - ebay.to/2C939L6
Citric acid - ebay.to/2ZrFfDq
10kg rock salt - ebay.to/2XEzeC6
4L methylated spirits - ebay.to/3fzVV0q
We have also put together this handy FAQs that might answer some of your frequently asked questions about home taxidermy. www.iamhunter....
This tutorial uses skins that have been cleaned. For a tutorial on how to clean an animal skin with a pressure washer you can see this video - • How to de-flesh a deer...
For more useful tutorials and information on hunting, join I Am Hunter at www.iamhunter.net
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[@jalton9416]

The best video I've seen on KZbin about tanning animal hides.

[@HuntShack]

Thanks mate! Glad it was helpful.

[@danielproos5191]

i agree

[@sharonkasper5126]

Very fast look at how to tan. Did not hear type oil used as you mentioned. Very nice final product. Thanks from California.

[@HuntShack]

Hey Sharon! Thanks for your comments. The oil we used comes with the Leder tanning kit. I'm actually not sure what the oil is called.

[@terryguin9529]

@@HuntShack Neatsfoot oil

[@hawk270leadflinger9]

Easy on the eyes too! I want the stainless Steele garage cabinet setup. Very nice.

[@pauljaveryoutdoors4154]

Thank you so much I’m doing a goat skin and this video has gave me way more of a idea on what to do! Thanks

[@petronellamathews609]

Thanks Jess I really enjoy your utube tutorial

[@errolm8313]

This is what I was looking for!

[@mikeherd9706]

Thanks From NZ for your video and guide!, currently doing 2 fallow, look forward to see how they turn out. thanks

[@crazycrowoutdoors9770]

Nice, will have to give this a try next season! Thanks for a great video really really going to help me tan hides. Cheers from Canada

[@loboloco08]

You made it look so easy

[@HuntShack]

Thanks buddy. Just practice and a bit of time :)

[@BPSingh31]

Than you being very honest and perfect for share knowledge

[@aussiepewpew557]

Thanks sp much for sharing your knowledge on tanning. Im looking forward to giving it a go on the next fallow i shoot. I could have had a gorgeous goat skin, but i didn't know how to tan it so i left it behind. 😥

[@GoldCountryTrapping]

Super job. I have a few furs in the freezer i want to do.......thanks for the inspiration to get at it.

[@matthewwarren4109]

Loved the vid, very informative. Thanks

[@HuntShack]

Thanks Matthew!

[@solstice7670]

Should you use the brine solution even if the hides weren’t frozen to kill off bacteria?

[@calebcutler7069]

In the de fleshing vid she said it was already pickled before it was de fleshed but in this video it was de fleshed before pickling. So what do you do first

[@grubcesspool]

Im a little late to your comment and im just a beginner but to answer your question the best i can, every other tutorial and book I’ve read puts the skinning and fleshing together with nothing in between. It probably doesn’t really matter which you do first. Unless you have some real big chunks of something on the skin all that should matter is that you are thorough. That being said, i prefer fleshing first so that the pickling liquids can get to the actual skin that im gonna end up with and i dont have to flesh later. (Fleshing is basically just getting rid of meat and excess fat as far as i have found. In some tuts theres scraping which is usually when the hide is dry (Just so you and i are on the same page lol)) I hope this makes sense and is helpful! :]

[@nzlife1017]

Great video! What would you recommend to do first if the skin has been placed in the freezer with the flesh still on?

[@terryguin9529]

Thaw. Deflesh. Then follow directions from start of video

[@qitianzhang3641]

good video , i am going to make my first hunt white tail deer hide.

[@HuntShack]

Good luck!

[@rutvikpatel8097]

Hey beautiful....you are awesome ❤️ i just love you to see you...god took alot time for your creation ❤️

[@sherylpyers1719]

I have had a Kangaroo skin in the freezer for about a year, hopefully it will still be ok by the time I get around to it. If not there are plenty more where that came from!

[@fischer2534]

Hi Jess, great tutorial 👍 I'm following your method for my first Fallow skin. How do you identify the right time to take the skin out of the leder solution. Leder says 3-10 days and every skin is different, but how do you identify it's ready to come out.

[@mutabazimoses395]

Thank you for educating us l want to try and see if it works

[@HuntShack]

Good luck with it :)

[@svernwarunos546]

Last woolworth i went to was in 92 when i was 13 in Toronto.

[@ruggedaustralia7136]

Hi i have a hide and im finding it hard to pressure cleaning it and its a strong pressure washer should i leave it in the pickling solution for a few days before trying it again

[@nicholaspoless4153]

If when you skin, you use your hand rather than a knife and dont pull any meat off, does the skin still need to be fleshed? As in, is there a membrane of sorts that still needs removing?

[@lasergames1798]

You really don't need to break the hide? That's pretty nice since I believe all the other videos I've seen show extensive hide breaking. Thanks for the info!!

[@HuntShack]

It does depend on the size and thickness of the hide. A lot of the skins we have tanned have been smaller fallow deer. They are quite thin and really don't need much breaking at all. We do run over the skin side with either a sanding block or a grinder with a wire brush (very lightly to avoid putting a hole in the skin). I think fleshing them with the pressure washer helps to break down a lot of the fibres in the skin that would make it tough. Let us know how you go with it ;) - Jess

[@lasergames1798]

@@HuntShack Mine will be a 95# whitetail doe hide so it's probably on the thinner side of hides too. I plan on using a pressure washer too. Now that season is over I can catch up on the house chores and begin my side projects. I'll try to remember to follow up! -Alex

[@nateynate2488]

Questions for you ... I currently have two hides in the freezer and have been planning to flesh and salt these. Do you recommend doing this before the process explained in the video? or that an entirely separate process? Otherwise, very thorough process that I'd like to use to ensure my hides come out right!

[@sumswhite97]

So do you not salt the hide at all? If I have a fresh skin I should just flesh it and it would go straight to the pickle solution? There isn't a period of putting salt straight on the hide and letting it sit?

[@HuntShack]

You can salt the hide first - some people thinks this helps to set the hair in the hide. We've done it both ways (salting and not salting) and had success.

[@emilychurch2518]

Hiiii. I'm wanting to do my first skin. I have it in the freezer after pressure washing it but alot of the fat never came off and I ran out of time to do it so put it in the freezer. Can I flesh the rest after defrosting in salt/meths brine or should I defrost then flesh then soak it. Also is it necessary to use the meths in the brine as I dont have any. Thanks 😁

[@billluckow2316]

Did salt hides after fleshing at all or did u just use salt in brine? Also what type of salt do u use?

[@HuntShack]

Depends on whether we are planning to tan the skin right away or freeze it to tan at a later date. We use pool salt (just normal salt but you can buy in bulk) or rock salt.

[@billluckow2316]

@@HuntShack Hides are in freezer right now and have to be fleshed yet. That's why I was wondering bought the salting after I flesh. Cause I usually sent my hides off but would like to start doing them on my own.

[@HanzArtBodybuilding]

I just subscribed thank you

[@HuntShack]

Thank you!

[@HanzArtBodybuilding]

@@HuntShack thank you I love your son😁😁 a couple years older than my boy Wylan it looks like 😁

[@mmesick100]

Does the citric acid help soften the skin?

[@HuntShack]

The citric acid pickle is to set the hair so that it doesn’t fall out during the tanning process. It also helps to break down some of the proteins in the skin that the tanning solution can’t bind to. Essentially, it helps the tanning solution work more effectively on the hide 😉

[@TheSurfine39]

Hey there, cheers for the vid. But I can’t watch your video on pressure washing the skins as it’s private?

[@HuntShack]

Try this one instead - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHTGYqidprCon9k

[@petronellamathews609]

Hi I want to know why do I loose some hair in the process of tanning , following your instructions carefully ( one buck skin came out perfect then a smaller skin I did after lost a lot of hair?

[@joanbrock7363]

Hi do you wash out the methylated spirit mix before putting them into the pickle mix?

[@HanzArtBodybuilding]

Soo cool

[@daltonking3723]

So once it’s done can I take it and make it into a jacket and then stand the rain will that work or do I have to do more work to get it rain proof?

[@HuntShack]

Hey Dalton. I can honestly say i've never tested it's waterproof abilities lol let us know how that goes

[@shyannewhetstein6170]

if my hide has been frozen with the flesh on it, do i thaw it out in the brine solution and then flesh it after? Then, put it in the pickle solution

[@HuntShack]

Yep! That's what we'd do :)

[@ranchosinnombreannjimmy8427]

Great Info. And you have blown my mind with the pressure washer fleshing. I may actually try to do a pig skin again. My question is about the pickle. Do you test the PH of the brine? Or how do you know how much C. acid to add?

[@ranchosinnombreannjimmy8427]

Ok i watched it again. I see your formula is 3 Oz citric acid per gallon of water.. I use sulfuric with a target of PH 2. Any expert opinions on which acids are best or proper ph, I welcome. The Citric seems economical..

[@HuntShack]

@@ranchosinnombreannjimmy8427 Yep we use a home kit for testing soil pH from the hardware store. Also aim for a pH between 2-3.

[@jahyeet1137]

Hey I was wondering if you salted the hide before hand and also how did you get the excess meat off so well

[@kaitlynnnorthey7533]

Wondering the same thing. It looks so good

[@jahyeet1137]

@@kaitlynnnorthey7533 did some research I’m guessing she pressured washed it they usually come out spotless when you use a pressure washer to flesh the hide and since it’s a Pickleing solution I doubt she salted it

[@kaitlynnnorthey7533]

Cheers for that. Unfortunately I dont have a pressure washer. I might just dry mine out and use sandpaper

[@HuntShack]

Yep we use a pressure washer to flesh the hide just as you said! Sometimes we salt them and sometimes we don't, just depends how quickly i can get them into a pickling solution.

[@scottclarke1367]

hey there with the pickling do i just mix the first 4L with hot water, with the citric acid and salt, the add more when its cold as i might need for then 4L

[@scottclarke1367]

also i cant find any of you fb or ig pages

[@marygordon4975]

I am so sad. My hide was looking great until after the rinse in the Bicarbonate. I only let it soak 15 minutes. When I pulled it out I noticed the hair falling out. After I rinsed it off and tossed it over a fence to drip dry a bit, the hair was falling off like crazy. The hair was fine until the bicarbonate soak. What happened????? I'm so sad.

[@sweeneytod1]

I washed my deer hide in a mix of detergent and dishwashing soap. Then I caked it in coarse salt and dry tanned it. I will be tying flies so I don't want to harm the hair and the leather does not to be soft. Rock hard is fine. I will be sanding it though and it is 20 inches square. Enough for the rest of my life tying flies.

[@RaspberryRockOffGridCabin]

I watched this entire video.

[@jeffjaimieschultz9058]

Hi Jess, can I ask what the purpose of the tanning formula is? Is it a necessity vs just using oil? Also, I'm in the US and can't find the Leder formula/oil here. Have any other recommendation?

[@davidkatta7742]

Hi there, great video! Just one question is the reason you use the pickling method be ause you didn't salt your hide beforehand? Or do I still follow your methods after I wash out the salt?

[@jade8474]

Hi Jess, Great Video, Do you salt the hides before you freeze them? Love the channel

[@Abelmusic]

Do you know of a chrome based tanning solution like leder I can get in the United States? I can't find one.

[@HuntShack]

There are some available on eBay if you search chrome tanning solution

[@MegaDpenner]

Do you scrape off the hide first.

[@HuntShack]

Hey Doug! No we don’t. We use a pressure washer to de-flesh the hides. Check the vid description for the link to a vid on how to do it :)

[@mwajss]

Hi! How would you fold it if you have to post it somewhere?

[@HuntShack]

Just like you would fold a thick blanket :)

[@davephantom4295]

Hi Jess, Hey I mistakenly skipped the metholated spirits step (Denatured Alcohol in the US). Any reason I couldn't add it to the pickle? I bet the alcohol really hleps break the skin fibers making for a softer hide. Thanks as always, Dave

[@HuntShack]

Hey Dave. How did you go with it?

[@davephantom4295]

@@HuntShack Hi Jess, Seemed fine though I did have some slippage on one hide, and also I set my hides on my deck to dry and a rat climbed up in the cold foodless winter here and ate 6 egg sized holes in a good hide. Between the slippage and the rat, I am down from 3 hides to one. but I am learning, and I have one solid hide. Last year all were a little funky ha. I just need to do the work of breaking my good one and that keeps getting preempted by other more exciting work like potato peeling and toilet cleaning HA! but really appreciate you guys. Thanks for your tutorial and for getting back to me, God bless you all down under :-)D

[@thunderbirdfishing5805]

Great vid, how long do you leave the skins in the brine before putting them in the pickle

[@HuntShack]

Just until they are defrosted. Most of the time they only need a few hours.

[@lancelipscomb6765]

I have an elk hide to tan that has been in the freezer since it was taken off of the animal. Should I soak it in a salt brine to thaw it, before I start to flesh it?

[@HuntShack]

Yep! I'd definitely recommend soaking in a brine solution to thaw.

[@JuliaCasebolt]

Hi! This looks great. Where can I find the list of ingredients you use?

[@HuntShack]

You can have a look at the full tutorial here (also includes everything used) - iamhunter.net/videos/taxidermy-at-home-how-to-tan-a-hide/

[@stephenlee2156]

Leders isn’t available in the United States. Do have a substitute you’d recommend?

[@HuntShack]

Hey Stephen! Thanks for your reply. Any chromium based tanning solution (as opposed to alum based) would work. At the end of the day, the process we showed you in this video will work with any tanning solution as long as you follow the instructions of your particular product when it comes time to apply the solution.

[@murkman1656]

My hides keep floating in my pickle solution. Should i weight them down?

[@HuntShack]

You can but it's not necessary. I try to turn them in the solution so that the skin side is facing down when they float to the top.

[@chiya2006]

New Sub here. Thanks so much for the great video and clear instructions. I should’ve seen this long ago as I wasted a few deer skins left in the field after hunt which could’ve been my summer project . Now I have to wait till next deer season to get one . I got one question: if the skin is fresh, not frozen, where do you start ? From the pickling part ? I got lost there 😄. Thanks again 🙏.

[@HuntShack]

Thanks mate! Really appreciate the comments. If you have a fresh skin, you'll still need to flesh it. There is a video linked in the description showing how to do that with a pressure washer (much easier than any other way we've tried). Then you would start at the pickling solution :)

[@chiya2006]

@@HuntShack appreciate the quick-reply. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos. Cheers

[@samburr6838]

Just wondering how come your skins come out nice and white but other videos useing the leder tanning kit come out a blue colour?

[@HuntShack]

Just depends on the skin mate. Also depends on what we do with the hide after tanning - some have had a light sanding on the back which will make them come up whiter.

[@gwflyer67austintx76]

If this has been covered, please forgive me. Do you have a video on fleshing? That’s what intimidates me the most.

[@HuntShack]

We use a pressure washer to de flesh. There is a link in the video description to a video on how to do it :)

[@stuntmansyd]

So you don’t salt your skins? Other than the salt in the water when thawing our?

[@HuntShack]

Not if we can freeze or at least refrigerate them (until we get home) instead.

[@greyranch9743]

The citric acid and salt boiled turned blue ?

[@HuntShack]

Haha nah the citric acid/salt solution is the pickle and is a clear liquid. The blue liquid is the tanning solution.

[@rustyskull1]

Hi, do you wash your skins in the washing machine to keep them clean when they're in use?

[@HuntShack]

Yep - not often but we have washed them. The chromium based tan (the chemical component in the Leder kit) is more water resistant than a lot of other tanning methods.

[@Nooch2222]

Would you use the same pickling directions/measurements for a large elk skin ? Or double or triple it! Thank you

[@HuntShack]

Definitely use more solution for a larger skin.

[@johnmcguire4452]

can you post the link to where you buy the tanning solution and oil you used in the video. Thanks

[@HuntShack]

Hey mate. Sure can Here is the commercial kit - bit.ly/3k7XKF3 Here is the smaller home kit - bit.ly/3kaSmkP That's from Mansfield Hunting & Fishing - members of our website (iamhunter.net) get 10% off their entire store with a discount code, if you want to check that out ;)

[@davephantom4295]

Thank you so much for your clear and helpful video. The power washing fleshing is just brilliant and gives such a great result. I want to follow your process for a great white tale deer hide that I got this season but I do not know where I can get the bottled tanning chemicals you are using. Is the kit you use available in the USA. Is there a website? Thank you very much Dave

[@HuntShack]

Hi Dave - thanks for the feedback. Glad you found it helpful. We’re not sure if the Leder brand is Australian or available overseas. But you should definitely be able to find an equivalent tanning solution in the US. Maybe have a quick chat to your local sporting goods or Gun shop.

[@davephantom4295]

@@HuntShack Hi Jess, Hey I mistakenly skipped the metholated spirits step (Denatured Alcohol in the US). Any reason I couldn't add it to the pickle? I bet the alcohol really hleps break the skin fibers making for a softer hide. Thanks as always, Dave

[@qitianzhang3641]

could not find tanning formula in Finland , is there alternative can be used?

[@HuntShack]

Any chromium based tanning solution would give a really similar result. You can search on eBay or online :)

[@pigeonpecker7623]

once skinned without fleshing it and then I freeze it straight away to then take back out to tan it?

[@HuntShack]

You can freeze it without fleshing it. Just make sure it’s not folded too thick - it will take longer to freeze and thaw in the centre which may lead to hair slippage. You’ll need to flesh the skin once you’ve thawed it out.

[@aidanvanhoff6603]

hey hunt shack!! what kind of tanning oil do you use?? the stuff i use always leaves me with a cardboard feel on the leather and i get stuck breaking it for weeks

[@HuntShack]

We use Leder tanning solution

[@bollingeroutdoors4361]

I have 3 deer skins in my freezer from this past Fall, I did not clean them much before putting them in there, can I use this same method or should I defrost them first and flesh them prior to doing any of the solution based pieces?

[@HuntShack]

I'd defrost and then de flesh with a pressure washer if you have one. It's really easy to do. We've got a vid on it here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmGoZ5uqr9OpepY

[@unessential5108]

Wow, I wish there were more women like you.

[@HuntShack]

Thanks mate

[@saltyspaceman5697]

Great tutorial, I am going to tan some brushtail possums (don't worry I'm in NZ so they're an introduced pest). I am wondering if the pickling process is necessary? Have you (or anyone reading ?)ever tried tanning the sins without the pickle? I have fleshed and salted the skins for a week. Does anyone know if this is an alternative to picking?

[@HuntShack]

We've done it with and without pickling. The pickle helps to get the proteins in the skin more 'ready' to accept the tanning solution but you'll still get a tanned skinned without doing the pickle.

[@michaelaward9949]

Hi. Wat brand n where do u get ur tan solution from? Cheers

[@HuntShack]

Hi Michaela - we use the Leder tanning kits, which you can buy from your local hunting store or online.

[@tanaracowen4734]

Hi after the tanning process do u rinse the hide before stretching on the ply board?

[@HuntShack]

Yep - I give it a good rinse before stretching and applying the leather lube.

[@emso8964]

Would I be able to use this process to make leather? I'd obviously need to remove the hair but what else would I need to do differently? I have some deer skins and would love to make belts with the leather.

[@HuntShack]

Yeah i certainly don't see why not! I've heard that you can use lye to remove the hair but I haven't tried it myself so you might need to do some research to find out :) good luck with it! Let us know how you go - you could send us a pic on insta by tagging @huntshack

[@petronellamathews609]

I have a question for you ? How do I contact you please x

[@judd2211]

Thanks for the video, very helpful. What size leder tanning kits are you using to do the 2-3 skins? 500ml bottles? Thanks👍

[@HuntShack]

Yep 500ml ;)

[@MiguelCamYT]

Could you tan a cow hide with the kit?

[@HuntShack]

You could but it would be quite physical and time consuming given how big they are!

[@thomash196]

What about if I’ve fleshed and I already salted my hide, AND froze it? Do I thaw it in the brine as well?

[@HuntShack]

I would still defrost in a brine solution especially if the skins are folded or very frozen (therefore would take some time to defrost).

[@thomash196]

HuntShack fantastic! Thank you!

[@kaitlynnnorthey7533]

Currently in the process of tanning my own hide, how did you get the back so smooth? The person who skinned this did a shonky job and I've been trying to get it as clean as possible.

[@MiguelCamYT]

There’s a section over what your asking in this article from the description iamhunter.net/into-the-wild/the-skinning-shed/taxidermy/taxidermy-at-home-faqs/

[@HuntShack]

Thanks for sharing that mate!

[@Danohuntz]

How long do you leave the tanning lube on for

[@HuntShack]

Hey mate - leave it on until the hide is dry. You don't need to wash it off or anything. You can also stretch the hide just before it's completely dry if you want to try and soften it further.

[@danieldurbin3371]

Hey there sport nice vid. Would this work for bull tahr, they have thick skin an a lot of hear.

[@HuntShack]

We haven't tried a bull tahr ourselves but I don't see why not. I would possibly suggest leaving the skin in the various solutions a bit longer than you would for a deer skin to make sure that the chemicals have enough time to penetrate the hide.

[@danieldurbin3371]

@@HuntShack thanks for that its about 260$ otherwise.

[@horseshoe70]

Im working on my first skins at the moment with the leder gear. The hardest part though was the fleshing. How did you get them so nice?

[@HuntShack]

We use a pressure washer to flesh our skins. There is a link to a video in the description 😉

[@ajsemaan2200]

@@HuntShack It says "video unavailable" for the fleshing video. How do we view it?

[@bananapeel9379]

At what stage do you flesh your skins?

[@HuntandFish]

After you skin it, before you pickle it

[@WildNZOutdoors]

Thanks for the video!! Quick question i have the (violet) tinted meth, will it be ok to use that? or should i use clear white spirits? Cheers

[@HuntShack]

I haven't tried with the tinted spirits so I'm not sure exactly how it would effect it. If you are using the leder tanning kit, or another chromium based tan, it leaves a slight blue colour on the skin side of the hide anyway so I personally wouldn't be too concerned about using tinted metho.

[@simonkirton8521]

Were you on triple j this week?

[@HuntShack]

Nope not that I remember :)

[@farmingfishingfamilyontari2814]

What animal are those pants from?

[@HuntShack]

The elusive Lululemon animal ;)

[@saltyspaceman5697]

Bonus..... the citric acid solution makes a good weed killer!

[@HuntShack]

Thanks for the tip! Might use that in future.

[@svernwarunos546]

Woolworths? Where are you?

[@andsto]

Australia mate! - where all the deer are :)

[@bigfoot4455]

Never heard of a tan that dont have break the hide.

[@maxclass84]

What is the equivalent of Methylated Spirit for the United States?

[@HuntShack]

It's pretty much pure alcohol

[@北方拓芙-h5v]

♦️ Please my hide is hard like a stiff And i want to wear it. How can i make it soft like normal clothes

[@cbb9553]

She is beautiful

[@robertplant9694]

wow you are incredibly gorgeous

[@mrohevi252]

Native Americans used to use urine and brains of the animal to tan leather. I'm thinking that's the way I'm going to go only because soon we're not going to be able to buy tanning solution and oil.